1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a microwave oven, and more particularly, to a microwave over having a coffee maker provided in a predetermined space of the electronic device chamber.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
A microwave oven is an apparatus for thawing and heating foods by microwave. FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a general microwave oven. Referring to FIG. 1, the microwave oven includes a cavity 2, an electronic device chamber 10, a housing 4, a door 3, a magnetron 11, a transformer 12 and a blower 13.
Cavity 2 is a space accommodating foods therein and has an opened front so as to introduce or withdraw foods. Electronic device chamber 10 is arranged adjacent to the cavity 2, and is provided therein with a variety of elements including the magnetron 11, the transformer 12, and the blower 13. Magnetron it is supplied with a power of a high voltage from an outside to generate a microwave. Transformer 12 converts a power supplied from the outside to a power of a high voltage and supplies the converted power or high voltage to the magnetron 11. Blower 13 cools the variety of elements installed within the electronic device chamber 10, and forms an air flow passing through the interior of the cavity 2. Housing 4 is provided to enclose the cavity 2 and the exterior of the electronic device chamber 10, and door 3 is coupled at the front of the electronic device chamber 10 with the cavity 2 to open and close the opened front of the cavity 2. Door 2 is also provided with a transparent door glass so that the interior of the cavity 2 can be viewed through the opened front
In the meanwhile, in a recent trend, a rotatable tray is provided on the bottom surface of the cavity 2. For this purpose, a variety of elements including a motor for rotating the tray are provided together. Thus, in addition to the foregoing elements, many elements are provided in the microwave oven, but their detailed description will be omitted.
The microwave oven constructed as above operates as follows.
First, door 3 is opened, foods are introduced into the cavity 2 and the door 3 is closed. Control panel (not shown) is manipulated to operate the microwave oven. As the microwave oven Operates, the transformer 12 converts power to a high voltage and applies the converted high voltage to the magnetron 11. Magnetron 11 is supplied with the high voltage to generate a microwave, and irradiates the generated microwave into the cavity 2. The microwave irradiated into the cavity 2 vibrates water molecules of the foods to heat the foods. As the microwave is irradiated into the foods for a constant time interval, the foods are thawed or cooked while they continue to be heated.
Since the aforementioned conventional microwave oven thaws or heats foods by using a principle in which water molecules of the foods are vibrated, it fails to perform a variety of cookings. For instance, the conventional microwave oven fails to cook the coffee which the moderners enjoy drinking. In other words, for enjoying drinking the coffee, it is requested that the coffee maker be used.
In the meanwhile, as the urbanization deepens in recent years, there appears a tendency in which the living space is narrowed and practicability is pursued. As a result, it is also requested that a variety of living necessaries including the electric home appliances be made in a compact construction. In addition, there are being requested electric home appliances capable of performing various supplementary functions as well as the traditional original functions. However, the conventional microwave oven fails to satisfy such consumers"" desires.
Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a microwave oven having a coffee maker that substantially obviates one or more problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related art.
An object of the present invention is to provide a microwave oven having a coffee maker constructed to perform the function of the coffee maker while the microwave oven is maintained at the same size as the conventional one.
Additional advantages, objects, and features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and in part will become apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned from practice of the invention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by the structure particularly pointed out in the written description and claims hereof as well as the appended drawings.
To achieve these objects and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, a microwave oven having a coffee maker includes a cavity of which front is opened; a cavity door for opening/closing the opened front of the cavity; an electronic plurality of elements are installed to radiate microwaves into the cavity; a casing of which front is opened and provided at a front side of the interior of the electronic device chamber; a water tank provided within the casing; a funnel provided so that the funnel can enter and go out of the interior of the casing; a heater provided in a lower portion of the casing; a water supply tube being provided whose one end is connected to the water tank, the other end is positioned at the upper side of the funnel, and a part thereof is in contact with the heater; and a container provided below the funnel so that the container can enter and go out of the interior of the casing.
In an aspect of the present invention, the microwave oven further includes a casing door for opening/closing the opened front of the casing. Here, the casing door is hinge-coupled at one side of the front of the casing, and has a surface that is continuous with the cavity door.
In an aspect of the present invention, the microwave oven further includes a front cover having an opening communicating the interior of the casing with an outside of the casing. Alternatively, the microwave oven further includes a cover door completely or partially opening/closing the opening of the front cover. Also, the front cover has a surface that is continuous with the cavity door.
Preferably, the casing further includes a bracket protruded from an inner wall to an inner space so as to serve as a shelf.
The water tank rotates around a hinge and is hinge-coupled with the casing so that the water tank can enter and go out of the interior by pushing and pulling.
In an aspect of the present invention, the water tank and the funnel are formed in a single body. Here, the funnel is comprised of an outer circumferential surface made concavely in a cone shape. Also, the water tank further comprises a water tank cover formed at an upper portion of the water tank, for opening/closing an entrance of the water tank.
In the meanwhile, the container may be made in a jug. In this case, the funnel further includes a coffee discharge valve which is opened by the jug being pushed when the jug is accommodated within the casing.
The coffee discharge valve comprises: an opening/closing member inserted movably up and down into a drop hole formed at a lower portion of the funnel and moved by the jug to open/close the drop hole; and a spring arranged between the opening/closing member and the funnel, and providing an elastic force to the opening/closing member so as to be closely in contact the opening/closing member.
The opening/closing member comprises: a stick provided so as to penetrate the drop hole formed at the lower portion of the funnel; a second end portion widely formed at one end of the stick rib and pushed up by the jug; and a first end portion widely formed at the other end of the stick, for opening the drop hole when the second end portion is pushed up in a state that the first end portion closes the drop hole.
The spring is provided between the second end portion and the funnel.
The coffee discharge valve further comprises an O-shaped ring provided between the lower portion of the funnel and the first end portion so that the first end portion can completely close the drop hole.
The second end portion has a lower surface shaped in a bowl so as to decrease friction when the second end portion is in contact with the jug. Also, the second end portion further comprises a plurality of penetration holes formed so as to drop coffee that is introduced through the drop hole and then stays in an upper surface thereof rib.
In the meanwhile, the water tank is pushed and opened by one end of a water supply tube when the water tank is mounted in the casing, to supply water to the water supply tube.
The water supply valve comprises: a valve body an inner space, an inlet through which the water is introduced, and an outlet through which the water is drained; a flow passage control plate movably inserted into the inner space of the valve body and which is pushed by one end of the water supply tube in a state that the flow passage control plate closes the outlet, to communicate the inlet with the outlet; and a valve spring inserted into an inner space of the valve body and providing an elastic force such that the flow passage control plate is closely in contact with the outlet side.
The water supply valve further comprises an O-shaped ring provided on an inner circumferential surface of the valve body arranged between the outlet and the flow passage control plate, for preventing leakage.
Also, the water supply tube further comprises a pressing pin extending from one end thereof, for opening the outlet of the valve body by pushing the flow passage control plate of the water supply valve when the water tank is mounted in the casing. Here, the one end of the water supply tube has an inner diameter greater than an outer diameter of the valve body such that the valve body is inserted into the interior thereof. Also, the water supply tube further comprises an O-shaped ring provided on an inner circumferential surface of the one end of the water supply tube, for preventing leakage when the valve body is inserted into the one end of the water supply tube.
The water supply tube further comprises a check valve provided therein to prevent water from flowing backward toward the water tank.
The casing further comprises a heating plate contacting with the heater, constituting an inner bottom surface and heated by the heater.
In an aspect of the present invention, the jug includes: a jug body of which the upper side is opened, for receiving and storing coffee dropping from the funnel; and a handgrip extending from one side of the jug body. Alternatively, the jug comprises: a rim reinforcing member provided along inner and outer circumferences of the opened upper side of the jug body; and a jug cover provided so as to open and close the opened upper side of the jug body, and having an introducing hole penetratedly formed such that the coffee dropping from the drop hole of the funnel passes through.
The jug further comprises at least one hanger extending from the rim reinforcing member so as to fix and hang an object.
The jug further comprises an egg poacher accommodating at least one egg therein, of which part is fixed to the hanger and fixed within the jug body, and comprised of a net.
The egg poacher comprises: a first member having a concave curved surface for accommodating approximate half of an outer circumferential surface of the egg; and a second member having a shape corresponding to the shape of the first member, and hinge-coupled with the first member.
The egg poacher further comprises at least one fixing piece which extends from the first member or the second member, and is inserted into the hanger to fix the egg poacher.
The egg poacher further comprises: a hook protruded from the first member; and a second member protruded from the second member such that the hook is hanged and fixed when the second member and the first member are folded.
Alternatively, the first and second members have a single concave curved surface formed elongatedly so as to accommodate the eggs in one column therein, or two concave curved surface formed elongatedly and parallel with each other so as to accommodate the eggs in two columns therein.
Also, the first and second members further comprise a horizontal member protruded inwardly from the concave curved surface to support both sides of the egg mounted in the egg poacher and thus prevent the eggs in the egg poacher from being moved.
The horizontal members are arranged at a narrow interval so as to support both sides of the egg in the width direction, or arranged at a wide interval so as to support both sides of the egg in the length direction.
In the meanwhile, the jug comprises a plurality of racks horizontally protruded from the rim reinforcing member toward the interior of the jug body. At this time, the rack comprises a slit cut inwardly from an outer circumferential surface thereof so as to fix a string connected to a tea bag or a tea infuser, or comprises a fixing groove cut in a wedge shape inwardly from an outer circumferential surface thereof so as to fix a string connected to a tea bag or a tea infuser.
The jug further comprises a tea strainer in which tea is received and of which part of upper portion is mounted on the rack and supported such that a lower portion thereof is dipped in the water contained in the jug body. Here, the tea strainer comprises: a mesh shaped in a container and of which the upper side is opened; and a flange formed along the opened upper circumference of the mesh.
In the meanwhile, the funnel further comprises a coffee flow passage having a plurality of coffer discharge holes formed at the lower portion of the funnel, through which the coffee filtered in the funnel flows, and discharging the coffee in the downward direction.
The container is a plurality of cups provided at the lower portion of the coffee discharge holes of the funnel.
In an aspect of the present invention, the microwave oven further comprise a cup holder on which the plurality of cups are mounted, and provided so that the water tank can enter and go out of the interior by pushing and pulling.
The casing further comprises a guide groove concavely formed on both inner surfaces of the casing so that both ends of the cup holder can be inserted, to guide the entering and going out of the cup holder.
Alternatively, the cup holder comprises a plurality of standing grooves provided in the upper surface of the cup holder such that the lower portions of the cups are inserted and supported, or includes a plurality of standing grooves provided to penetrate the cup holder such that the cups are inserted and supported.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description of the present invention are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.